I just spent an hour in Scrabulous trying to find the perfect place to put the perfect word in a game that I am already losing by over 100 points.
I think I have a problem.
catbird :: May.28.2008 :: house stuff :: Comments Off
1. “Nate, stop licking your brother.”
2. “Only one serving of chocolate chips at breakfast.”
3. “Stop blowing bubbles with your mucus.”
4. “Nate, stop licking the train seat.”
5. “Take the magic marker out of your ear.”
6. “Van, get your mouth off the guinea pig cage.”
7. “No spitting on the furniture.”
8. “Nate, stop licking the dog.”
9. “Please don’t drink the water from the mud puddle.”
and
10. “Really Van, you want the kale, potato, and chorizo soup?”
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As wildly ecstatic as I was about Whole Foods last week because of the local grass-fed beef, I am just as wildly disappointed this week. I just read a news story about how much of the 365 brand organics aren’t USDA certified, as we are led to believe by the packaging, and, in fact, many come from China.
Not only am I upset about being misled (although my frozen spinach clearly says “Product of China”), but I’m also upset that my 365 vegetables have a much larger carbon footprint than I believed, and that, now, my grocery bill will go up once again as I switch to more expensive brands.
I guess I should have been more skeptical. They had to get the better prices somehow.
catbird :: May.22.2008 :: cat rants, going green, socio-pop :: Comments Off
The strangest things make me celebrate these days. I’ve been looking around for a while to find local (i.e. w/in 50 miles) grass-fed beef. We haven’t eaten beef since I read The Omnivore’s Dilemma and I had all but given up hope of succeeding in my search. Several months back Edible Jersey mentioned two grass farms in Central Jersey that I had been wanting to check out this summer.
But now I don’t have to.
Our Whole Foods now sells 100% organic grass fed beef from the farm in Skillman, NJ. I almost started dancing in the aisle and surely the butcher thought I was a bit loony. He said they had tried before and not enough people bought it so they stopped carrying it. I’m telling everyone I know to go buy it. Why should you? Ask Michael Pollan; you don’t want to get me started.
Did it taste better? Yes, yes it did. We made hamburgers last weekend and they were really scrumptious. I have to admit I didn’t think I’d notice a difference, but I did. Next we’ll try a couple steaks.
You know what else tastes a million, zillion, godzillion* times better too? Sky Top Farms (NY) yogurt from grass-fed cows. And Natural by Nature butter from grass-fed cows… yum I could eat it with a spoon straight from the container.
I guess I shouldn’t be amazed that food tastes better from cows that eat what nature intended.
(*The next biggest number, according to Michael. I think it will be Mothratrillion, personally.)
catbird :: May.22.2008 :: going green :: Comments Off
When Nate gets to pick dinner, he almost always picks mac and cheese. But ,since the kids rarely eat a whole box and they won’t eat it reheated (Why? Who knows. It’s just one of those parenting mysteries.), I’m stuck with leftovers.
I don’t love mac and cheese, but I dislike wasting food even more so I concocted this meal out of the leftovers. I cook spinach, broccoli, or peas in a pan with a little olive oil and garlic. Then toss in the leftover mac and cheese. Today I had some turkey to toss in, too. Except for the fact that the mac and cheese is in the shape of little bunnies, it’s just like a grown up meal. If you don’t feel like going to all that trouble, just throw the leftover pasta in with regular pasta and red sauce. The cheese adds some nice flavor to a basic tomato sauce.
Samba writes a blog about, well, overdevelopment in West Orange. Specifically the (in)effectiveness of the town council in protecting trees by adopting a tree ordinance.
catbird :: May.06.2008 :: cat rants, socio-pop :: Comments Off
Instead of keeping all these links tabs open in tabs and losing them every time I have to restart, I thought I’d make a list:
Guitar:
Children’s Songs for guitar
more Children’s Songs for guitar
A Guitar Teacher’s Lesson Notebook
Guitar strumming patterns
How to Play Guitar for Newbies
Video guitar lessons
interactive chords
chord chart
Ukulele:
Alligator Boogaloo ukulele songs
Ukulele lessons online
Super-cool Beatles ukulele site
